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The aim of the paper is to define a method for evaluating infrastructural interventions for the mitigation of noise generated by roads based on multi-criteria analysis which considers a series of parameters (environmental, social, economic and health) that could give broader evaluations than just economic convenience.

Airport areas generate significant air pollution from both air and surface traffic. Policy makers often address this by considering single contributions, either from rubber-tired vehicles or aircraft, leading to an underestimation of the non-considered-mode’s impact. Similarly, literature on airport pollution often focuses on specific case studies, evaluating either surface or air traffic. Understanding the overlap of these contributions requires calculation of emissions from both traffic modes. This raises two research questions: which is the major contributor, and what mitigation measures can be applied? This paper addresses these questions through two Italian case studies. In the first, we estimated emissions from passenger cars, buses, and aircraft in a medium-sized airport representative of similar facilities across Italy and Europe, calculating emissions using COPERT for surface modes and ICAO methodologies for each LTO cycle. Results showed that aircraft emissions were significantly higher than those from surface vehicles. To address this, the second case study examined four mitigation measures at take-off and landing at another Italian airport, recalculating emissions via the same methodologies. The paper details the methodology process, presents results, and discusses the management of air-operations’ effects at urban airports within local mobility policies and practice, all within the research goal of advancing knowledge farther afield.

Abstract Cancer metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as one of the cancer hallmarks that promote cell proliferation, survival, as well as therapeutic resistance. Up-to-date regulation of metabolism in T-cell lymphoma is poorly understood. In particular, for human angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) the metabolic profile is not known. Metabolic intervention could help identify new treatment options for this cancer with very poor outcomes and no effective medication. Transcriptomic analysis of AITL tumor cells, identified that these cells use preferentially mitochondrial metabolism. By using our preclinical AITL mouse model, mimicking closely human AITL features, we confirmed that T follicular helper (Tfh) tumor cells exhibit a strong enrichment of mitochondrial metabolic signatures. Consistent with these results, disruption of mitochondrial metabolism using metformin or a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor such as IACS improved the survival of AITL lymphoma-bearing mice. Additionally, we confirmed a selective elimination of the malignant human AITL T cells in patient biopsies upon mitochondrial respiration inhibition. Moreover, we confirmed that diabetic patients suffering from T-cell lymphoma, treated with metformin survived longer as compared to patients receiving alternative treatments. Taking together, our findings suggest that targeting the mitochondrial metabolic pathway could be a clinically efficient approach to inhibit aggressive cancers such as peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Aims: Is it feasible to conduct a definitive multicentre trial in community settings of corticosteroid injections (CSI) and hydrodilation (HD) compared to CSI for patients with frozen shoulder? An adequately powered definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT) delivered in primary care will inform clinicians and the public whether hydrodilation is a clinically and cost-effective intervention. In this study, prior to a full RCT, we propose a feasibility trial to evaluate recruitment and retention by patient and clinician willingness of randomization; rates of withdrawal, crossover and attrition; and feasibility of outcome data collection from routine primary and secondary care data. Methods: In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises that prompt early management of frozen shoulder is initiated in primary care settings with analgesia, physiotherapy, and joint injections; most people can be managed without an operation. Currently, there is variation in the type of joint injection: 1) CSI, thought to reduce the inflammation of the capsule reducing pain; and 2) HD, where a small volume of fluid is injected into the shoulder joint along with the steroid, aiming to stretch the capsule of the shoulder to improve pain, but also allowing greater movement. The creation of musculoskeletal hubs nationwide provides infrastructure for the early and effective management of frozen shoulder. This potentially reduces costs to individuals and the wider NHS perhaps negating the need for a secondary care referral. Results: We will conduct a multicentre RCT comparing CSI and HD in combination with CSI alone. Patients aged 18 years and over with a clinical diagnosis of frozen shoulder will be randomized and blinded to receive either CSI and HD in combination, or CSI alone. Feasibility outcomes include the rate of randomization as a proportion of eligible patients and the ability to use routinely collected data for outcome evaluation. This study has involved patients and the public in the trial design, dissemination methods, and how to include groups who are underserved by research. Conclusion: We will disseminate findings among musculoskeletal clinicians via the British Orthopaedic Association, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the Royal College of Radiologists, and the Royal College of General Practitioners. To ensure wide reach we will communicate findings through our established network of charities and organizations, in addition to preparing dissemination findings in Bangla and Urdu (commonly spoken languages in northeast London). If a full trial is shown to be feasible, we will seek additional National Institute for Health and Care Research funding for a definitive RCT. This definitive study will inform NICE guidelines for the management of frozen shoulder. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(3):162–173.

Abstract Background Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X‐linked recessive disorder that predisposes individuals to hemolysis due to an inborn error of metabolism. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate G6PD deficiency as a possible etiology of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) and severe fetal anemia. Methods PubMed, OVID Medline, Scopus, and clinicaltrials.gov were queried from inception until 31 April 2023 for all published cases of NIHF and severe fetal anemia caused by G6PD deficiency. Keywords included “fetal edema,” “hydrops fetalis,” “glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency,” and “fetal anemia.” Cases with workup presuming G6PD deficiency as an etiology for NIHF and severe fetal anemia were included. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Results Five cases of G6PD‐related NIHF and one case of severe fetal anemia were identified. Four fetuses (4/6, 66.7%) were male and two fetuses (2/6, 33.3%) were female. Mean gestational age at diagnosis of NIHF/anemia and delivery was 32.2 ± 4.9 and 35.7 ± 2.4 weeks, respectively. Four cases (66.7%) required a cordocentesis for fetal transfusion, and two cases (33.3%) received blood transfusions immediately following delivery. Among the four multigravida cases, two (50%) noted previous pregnancies complicated by neonatal anemia. When reported, the maternal cases included two G6PD deficiency carrier patients and two G6PD‐deficient patients. Exposures to substances known to cause G6PD deficiency‐related hemolysis occurred in 3/6 (50%) cases. Conclusion Six cases of NIHF/severe fetal anemia were associated with G6PD deficiency. While G6PD deficiency is an X‐linked recessive condition, female fetuses can be affected. Fetal G6PD deficiency testing can be considered if parental history indicates, particularly if the standard workup for NIHF is negative.

BackgroundThe digital revolution has deeply affected every aspect of our daily lives, including education, transforming how we learn and teach. In Italy, this transformation has occurred naturally for the alpha generation, born in the era in which technology is an integral part of their education. Conversely, for teachers who are not digital natives, adapting to this technological era is a considerable challenge. This challenge is increasing for Italian teachers working with preschoolers. Indeed, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, such technologies were sparsely utilized within early education. This study aims to explore Italian teachers’ beliefs through internal factors—i.e., self- efficacy, outcome expectations, and interest, toward the integration of educational technology in teaching.MethodsTo this end, the standardized Intrapersonal Technology Integration Scale was selected to measure the Italian teachers’ beliefs. The study includes 180 teachers working with the alpha generation, which encompasses children currently attending pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and primary education.ResultsThe results obtained from the comparison among the three groups of teachers (pre- kindergarten, kindergarten, and primary education) on the internal factors are manifold. Mainly, although all teachers are interested in educational technologies, there is a reluctance and low self-efficacy perception to use them with preschoolers. Specifically, pre-kindergarten teachers perceive themselves as less effective and satisfied using such technologies than kindergarten and primary teachers. Moreover, greater teachers’ age and greater teaching experience predict a lower level of perceived self-efficacy and outcome expectations, highlighting resistance toward technological change. All results and their implications are detailed in this text.DiscussionThis study suggests focusing on perceived self-efficacy, offering customized training to enhance it, exploiting the teachers’ interest, enriching teachers’ knowledge through scientific dissemination seminars, and using an effective method. To conclude, understanding teachers’ beliefs is a challenge to better meet the needs of the digital-native generation and harness the potential of educational technologies in childhood education.

The aim of this systematic review is to report the normal cortical development of different fetal cerebral fissures on ultrasound, describe associated anomalies in fetuses with cortical malformations, and evaluate the quality of published charts of cortical fissures. The inclusion criteria were studies reporting development, anomalies, and reference charts of fetal cortical structures on ultrasound. The outcomes observed were the timing of the appearance of different cortical fissures according to different gestational age windows, associated central nervous system (CNS) and extra-CNS anomalies detected at ultrasound in fetuses with cortical malformation, and rate of fetuses with isolated anomaly. Furthermore, we performed a critical evaluation of the published reference charts for cortical development on ultrasound. Random-effect meta-analyses of proportions were used to combine the data. Twenty-seven studies (6875 fetuses) were included. Sylvian fissure was visualized on ultrasound in 97.69% (95% CI 92.0–100) of cases at 18–19, 98.17% (95% CI 94.8–99.8) at 20–21, 98.94% (95% CI 97.0–99.9) at 22–23, and in all cases from 24 weeks of gestation. Parieto-occipital fissure was visualized in 81.56% (95% CI 48.4–99.3) of cases at 18–19, 96.59% (95% CI 83.2–99.8) at 20–21, 96.85% (95% CI 88.8–100) at 22–23, and in all cases from 24 weeks of gestation, while the corresponding figures for calcarine fissure were 37.27% (95% CI 0.5–89.6), 80.42% (95% CI 50.2–98.2), 89.18% (95% CI 74.0–98.2), and 96.02% (95% CI 96.9–100). Malformations of cortical development were diagnosed as an isolated finding at ultrasound in 6.21% (95% CI 2.9–10.9) of cases, while they were associated with additional CNS anomalies in 93.79% (95% CI 89.1–97.2) of cases. These findings highlight the need for large studies specifically looking at the timing of the appearance of the different brain sulci. Standardized algorithms for prenatal assessment of fetuses at high risk of malformations of cortical development are also warranted.

To date, the primary challenge in the field of information and communication technologies-mediated rehabilitative interventions for autism is the lack of evidence regarding efficacy and effectiveness. Although such interventions, particularly those realised with Immersive Virtual Reality-based Serious Games, show promise, clinicians are hesitant to adopt them due to minimal evidence supporting their efficiency and effectiveness. Efficacy refers to whether an intervention produces the expected result under ideal circumstances, while effectiveness measures the degree of beneficial effect in real-world clinical settings. The absence of efficacy and effectiveness evidence undermines the reliability and generalisability of such interventions, which are crucial for real-life settings, making accurate evaluation pivotal. Evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of these interventions poses a significant challenge due to the absence of evaluation guidelines. A previous study systematically reviewed the evaluation of Immersive Virtual Reality-based Serious Games for autism, revealing incomplete or methodologically problematic evaluation processes. This evidence underpinned the aim of the present study: to propose an Evaluation Framework encompassing all necessary methodological criteria for evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of such interventions. Disseminating this Evaluation Framework as a pocket guide could facilitate the development of reliable future studies, thereby advancing evidence-based interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with autism.

In the mid-1980s, forest bathing was established in Japan to improve citizens’ physical and mental health. In the literature, many studies have investigated the role of forest bathing in decreasing people’s stress and anxiety as well as in reducing hypertension and coronary artery disease. Forest bathing is also a practice with important social and economic implications at a local level. This study investigated the economic value of forest bathing in a case study in northern Italy (i.e., the Parco del Respiro, in Trentino-Alto Adige) using the Zonal Travel Cost Method. To achieve this aim, 243 forest bathers in the study area were interviewed in the summer of 2022. The findings highlighted that an actively managed forest with an average–low amount of deadwood and clean open areas is the scenario preferred by participants. In addition, the results of the Zonal Travel Cost Method showed a relevant annual consumer surplus of EUR 8700 for the forest bathing activity in the study area, corresponding to EUR 35.80 per visit per person.

Bus lanes play a crucial role in urban areas as their primary objective is to increase public transport efficiency and help traffic and public transit systems flow more smoothly. This study starts with traffic and climate monitoring to verify asphalt bus lanes in Rome, Italy, according to the Italian Pavement Design Catalogue published in 1995. KENLAYER software calculated the stress-strain conditions under real traffic loads (i.e., hourly passages of urban buses, considering their axle load and seat occupancy rate), typical subgrade bearing capacity (i.e., resilient modulus equal to 90 MPa), current climate conditions, and road material properties. Then, the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) was used to verify the response of the pavement structure. The fatigue verification of bound materials resulted in damage values much lower than 1 at the end of the 20-year service life (i.e., 0.12 with the Asphalt Institute and 0.31 with the Marchionna law, respectively) and highlights that the Italian catalogue’s sheets are overdesigned. On the other hand, the rutting verification according to MEPDG is not satisfied after an 11-year service life (i.e., the total rutting is equal to 1.50 cm), forcing frequent and expensive maintenance of wearing and binder courses. Therefore, the results confirm the validity of the Italian catalogue for fatigue service life and suggest the need for high-performance asphalt to prevent early rutting due to bus traffic increasing by load and frequency in previous decades.

The left atrial auricle (LAA) is the main source of intracardiac thrombi, which contribute significantly to the total number of stroke cases. It is also considered a major site of origin for atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing ablation procedures. The LAA is known to have a high degree of morphological variability, with shape and structure identified as important contributors to thrombus formation. A detailed understanding of LAA form, dimension, and function is crucial for radiologists, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons.This review describes the normal anatomy of the LAA as visualized through multiple imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and echocardiography. Special emphasis is devoted to a discussion on how the morphological characteristics of the LAA are closely related to the likelihood of developing LAA thrombi, including insights into LAA embryology.

Introduction and methodsTo understand the relationship between immunovirological factors and antiretroviral (ARV) drug levels in lymph nodes (LN) in HIV therapy, we analyzed drug levels in twenty-one SIV-infected rhesus macaques subcutaneously treated with daily tenofovir (TFV) and emtricitabine (FTC) for three months.ResultsThe intracellular active drug-metabolite (IADM) levels (TFV-dp and FTC-tp) in lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMC) were significantly lower than in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (P≤0.005). Between Month 1 and Month 3, IADM levels increased in both LNMC (P≤0.001) and PBMC (P≤0.01), with a steeper increase in LNMC (P≤0.01). The viral dissemination in plasma, LN, and rectal tissue at ART initiation correlated negatively with IADM levels at Month 1. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model simulations suggest that, following subcutaneous ARV administration, ART-induced reduction of immune activation improves the formation of active drug-metabolites through modulation of kinase activity and/or through improved parent drug accessibility to LN cellular compartments.ConclusionThese observations have broad implications for drugs that need to phosphorylate to exert their pharmacological activity, especially in the settings of the pre-/post-exposure prophylaxis and efficacy of antiviral therapies targeting pathogenic viruses such as HIV or SARS-CoV-2 replicating in highly inflammatory anatomic compartments.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are web-like structures of DNA coated with cytotoxic proteins and histones released by activated neutrophils through a process called NETosis. NETs release occurs through a sequence of highly organized events leading to chromatin expansion and rupture of nuclear and cellular membranes. In calcium ionophore-induced NETosis, the enzyme peptidylargine deiminase 4 (PAD4) mediates chromatin decondensation through histone citrullination, but the biochemical pathways involved in this process are not fully understood. Here we use live-imaging microscopy and proteomic studies of the neutrophil cellular fractions to investigate the early events in ionomycin-triggered NETosis. We found that before ionomycin-stimulated neutrophils release NETs, profound biochemical changes occur in and around their nucleus, such as, cytoskeleton reorganization, nuclear redistribution of actin-remodeling related proteins, and citrullination of actin-ligand and nuclear structural proteins. Ionomycin-stimulated neutrophils rapidly lose their characteristic polymorphic nucleus, and these changes are promptly communicated to the extracellular environment through the secretion of proteins related to immune response. Therefore, our findings revealed key biochemical mediators in the early process that subsequently culminates with nuclear and cell membranes rupture, and extracellular DNA release.

The use of serious games for the treatment of people with autism is currently considered a promising approach due to its positive effects on promoting learning through playful and motivating experiences. In recent years, increased research has focused on serious games utilizing Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) technologies, such as large-scale projection-based systems and head-mounted displays. The high level of immersion provided by IVR has been found to benefit learning outcomes, as it reduces environmental distractions and helps individuals focus on learning tasks while also addressing social anxiety. Researchers have conducted significant work in this field over the past decade, yielding promising results. However, the development of these learning interventions comes with methodological challenges and issues, especially in how to conduct the development process and design IVR-based serious games for the learning of people with autism. Based on these premises, this systematic review thoroughly analyzes the literature on developing IVR-based serious games for individuals with autism, discussing inherent shortcomings and reflecting on them. Then, twenty IVR-based serious games for people with autism developed between 2009 and mid-2021 are selected and analyzed, focusing on the people engaged in the development process, the design methodology adopted, and the serious game design framework employed. From this analysis, a set of recommendations are proposed to support anyone interested in developing IVR-based serious games for people with autism. In addition, the gaps left unsolved in the autism literature are highlighted, upon which a research agenda is grounded.

This paper tracks the dynamics of administrative reform across two areas (civil service, simplification) in Italy, focusing on the XVIII parliamentary term, which has been characterized by the presence of populist parties in three different coalition governments (Conte I, Conte II, Draghi). The alternation in power between different governments has occurred in a context marked by the shift of the EU economic governance from a logic of conditionality to a logic of solidarity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. After a decade of EU-led austerity, the shift of the EU economic governance was expected to support and enable administrative reform at the national level. Our findings reveal that the structural lack of time induced the Draghi government to focus administrative reforms on a limited number of domains to produce quick and relevant results. This selective approach focused on capacity building represented an improvement into patterns of administrative reform if compared with what happened under the Conte I and II government, which have displayed a marked chasm between the level of talk and the level of action. This has been due partly to populist parties having not pursued a distinctive agenda in matters of administrative reform beyond the loud tones, and partly to EU fiscal constraints.

The topographical features of a site and the anthropogenic artefacts inside and outside the airport boundaries influence the infrastructure use. Objects penetrating the obstacle limitation surfaces (OLS) or standing outside those surfaces have to be mapped and risk-assessed because they could be a hazard to air navigation. This study aims to quantify the risk of collision between aircraft and obstacles in the airspace. There are no available procedures in the literature: the authors supposed that the obstacle type and the examined OLS affect the collision risk. The proposed risk values and amplification factors derive from interviews with technicians. The methodology has been implemented in an existing airport with 589 penetrating obstacles: the results highlight that 69.8% of obstacles imply a negligible risk, and 3.7% require further analyses by the competent aviation authority. In this study, buildings and pylons penetrating the Transitional Surface are the most hazardous obstacles.

INTRODUCTION This case report traces the diagnostic and therapeutic process of the Immuno-Transfusion Service in a case of fetal anaemia characterized by various inconsistencies between clinical and laboratory data. The paper describes an alternative technique implemented with the aim of resolving incompatibilities between positive IAT and negative DAT. In addition, the algorithm necessary to reach a diagnosis in a transfusion medicine laboratory is traced, namely, the performance of first- and second-level immuno-haematological tests, the evaluation of fetal clinical signs, and the preparation of blood components necessary for intrauterine transfusion. CASE PRESENTATION The case involves a pregnant woman who comes to the Immuno-Transfusion Service following a positive Indirect Antiglobulin Test and fetal anaemia. The main questions relate not only the presence of immunization in the woman, which should have been avoided by immunoprophylaxis (being group 0 Rh negative), but also the stability of the antibody titer (or level) throughout the pregnancy, fetal recovery after TIU, and the presence of a negative Direct Antiglobulin Test. CONCLUSIONS Questions that were completely resolved at caesarean section with the discovery of a giant chorioangioma that, by sequestering fetal red blood cells, caused anaemia and the confirmation of a rare blood phenotype of the father that caused the woman's immunization.

INTRODUZIONE Questo case report ripercorre l’iter diagnostico e terapeutico del Servizio Immuno-Trasfusionale in un caso di anemia fetale caratterizzato da varie incongruenze tra i dati clinici e di laboratorio. Nell’articolo viene descritta anche una tecnica alternativa attuata con l’obiettivo di risolvere le incompatibilità tra Test di Coombs Indiretto positivo e Test di Coombs Diretto negativo. Si ripercorre, inoltre, l’algoritmo necessario al raggiungimento di una diagnosi in un laboratorio di Medicina Trasfusionale, ovvero l’esecuzione degli esami immunoematologici di primo e secondo livello, la valutazione dei segni clinici fetali e la preparazione degli emocomponenti necessari alla trasfusione intrauterina. PRESENTAZIONE DEL CASO Il caso riguarda una donna gravida che giunge nel servizio Immuno-Trasfusionale per il riscontro di un Test di Coombs Indiretto positivo e di un’anemia fetale. I principali quesiti riguardano non solo la presenza di immunizzazione nella donna, che si sarebbe dovuta evitare con l’immunoprofilassi (essendo di gruppo 0 Rh negativo), ma anche la stabilità del titolo anticorpale durante tutta la gravidanza, il recupero del feto dopo TIU e la presenza di un Test di Coombs Diretto negativo. CONCLUSIONI I quesiti che sono stati risolti in sede di taglio cesareo con la scoperta di un corioangioma gigante che, sequestrando i globuli rossi fetali, causava l’anemia e la conferma di un fenotipo sanguigno raro del padre che ha causato l’immunizzazione della donna.

A class of Cyclopropabenzindole-Pyridinobenzodiazepine (CBI-PDD) DNA cross-linking payloads, used in Antibody-Drug Conjugates, alkylate guanine and adenine bases in the DNA minor groove with a defined sequence selectivity.

Cardiovascular diseases still represent one of the most deadly pathologies worldwide. Knowledge of the blood flow dynamics within the cardio-vascular system is crucial in preventing these diseases and analysing their physiology and physio-pathology. CFD simulations are highly effective in guiding clinical predictions and, more importantly, allow the evaluation of physical and clinical parameters that are difficult to measure with common diagnostic techniques. Therefore, in particular, this study is focused on investigating the hemodynamics of the thoracic aorta. Real aortic geometries regarding a sane and diseased patient presenting an aneurysm were considered. CFD simulations were performed with the OpenFOAM C++ library using patient-specific pulsatile blood flow waveforms and implementing the Windkessel pressure boundary condition for the artery outflow. The adopted methodology was preliminarily verified for assessing the numerical uncertainty and convergence. Then, the CFD results were evaluated against experimental data concerning pressure and velocity of the thoracic aorta measured with standard diagnostic techniques. The normal aorta’s blood flow was also compared against the pattern regarding the patient-specific aortic aneurysm. Parameters such as wall pressure, wall shear stress (WSS) and velocity distribution were investigated and discussed. The research highlighted that the blood flow in the aorta is strongly affected by the aneurysm onset, with the growth of recirculation zones being potentially hazardous. The outcomes of the investigation finally demonstrate how CFD simulation tools, capturing the detailed physics of the aortic flow, are powerful tools for supporting clinical activities of the cardio-vascular system.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can be incorporated in biofertilizer formulations, which promote plant growth in different ways, such as fixing nitrogen and producing phytohormones and nitric oxide (NO). NO is a free radical involved in the growth and defense responses of plants and bacteria. NO detection is vital for further investigation in different agronomically important bacteria. NO production in the presence of KNO3 was evaluated over 1–3 days using eight bacterial strains, quantified by the usual Griess reaction, and monitored by 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN), yielding 2,3-naphthotriazole (NAT), as analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The Greiss and trapping reaction results showed that Azospirillum brasilense (HM053 and FP2), Rhizobium tropici (Br322), and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Pal 5) produced the highest NO levels 24 h after inoculation, whereas Nitrospirillum amazonense (Y2) and Herbaspirillum seropedicae (SmR1) showed no NO production. In contrast to the literature, in NFbHP–NH4Cl–lactate culture medium with KNO3, NO trapping led to the recovery of a product with a molecular mass ion of 182 Da, namely, 1,2,3,4-naphthotetrazole (NTT), which contained one more nitrogen atom than the usual NAT product with 169 Da. This strategy allows monitoring and tracking NO production in potential biofertilizing bacteria, providing future opportunities to better understand the mechanisms of bacteria–plant interaction and also to manipulate the amount of NO that will sustain the PGPB.

Abstract Epidermal photoaging contributes to skin fragility over time and it is a risk factor for skin cancer. Photoaging has been associated for a long time with exposure to Ultraviolet-A (UVA) light, the predominant component of the solar ultraviolet radiation. While the cellular mechanisms underlying UVA-induced photoaging in the dermis have been well characterized, UVA’s action on the epidermis remains elusive. Here, proteomic analysis was conducted to derive the cellular responses induced by an environmentally relevant dose of UVA in primary human keratinocytes. We also investigated the effects of UVA on non-transformed immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), bearing potentially oncogenic mutations. We showed that UVA induces proteome remodeling and senescence in primary keratinocytes, eliciting potent antioxidant and pro-inflammatory responses. Additionally, we showed that UVA modulates the secretory phenotype of these cells to the extent of inducing paracrine oxidative stress and immune system activation in pre-malignant keratinocytes. These observations offer insights into the cellular mechanisms by which UVA drives photoaging in the skin.

Internal iliac artery aneurysms are found in 20% of abdominal aortic aneurysm cases, with a high mortality rate in the event of rupture. Type II endoleaks are a common complication after endovascular intervention. Transarterial or direct sac puncture techniques have superseded open surgical repair due to the challenging nature open surgery presents in accessing the feeding vessel(s). We describe the rare source of a late type II endoleak feeding from the profunda femoris in an 83-year-old man after fenestrated endovascular aortic aneurysm repair and concurrent embolization of the right internal iliac artery for treatment of a juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm and internal iliac artery aneurysm.

Repairing potholes is a task for municipalities to prevent serious road user injuries and vehicle damage. This study presents a low-cost, high-performance pothole monitoring system to maintain urban roads. The authors developed a methodology based on photogrammetry techniques to predict the pothole’s shape and volume. A collection of overlapping 2D images shot by a Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 connected to a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has been used to create a pothole 3D model. The Raspberry-based configuration has been mounted on an autonomous and remote-controlled robot (developed in the InfraROB European project) to reduce workers’ exposure to live traffic in survey activities and automate the process. The outputs of photogrammetry processing software have been validated through laboratory tests set as ground truth; the trial has been conducted on a tile made of asphalt mixture, reproducing a real pothole. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies allowed visualising potholes on a map with information about their centre, volume, backfill material, and an associated image. Ten on-site tests validated that the system works in an uncontrolled environment and not only in the laboratory. The results showed that the system is a valuable tool for monitoring road potholes taking into account construction workers’ and road users’ health and safety.

Action against disinformation has become more important than ever in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is due to the synchronous global scale of the problem and its potentially deadlier consequences as the public seeks out guidance regarding what they might do to lower the risk of infection. This article investigates the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the regulation of social media platforms as it is mediated by the legacy of previous responses to disinformation. It shows that the Covid-19 crisis has catalyzed the shift to co-regulatory approaches that imposed reporting obligations on platforms at the European level. It also raises concerns about the implementation of the new European regulatory package that will largely depend on the initiatives of individual Member States such as Italy, where the low level of societal resilience to disinformation increases the incentives for political leaders to ignore the problem of disinformation.

Objective To elucidate the role of advanced maternal age (AMA) in determining the outcome of pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Multinational cohort study included women with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 76 centers in 27 different countries in Europe, United States, South America, Asia and Australia from 04 April 2020 till 28 October 2020. The primary outcome was a composite measure of maternal mortality and morbidity including admission to intensive care unit (ICU), use of mechanical ventilation (defined as intubation, need for continuous positive airway pressure, extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation), severe respiratory symptoms (including dyspnea and shortness of breath) or death. Results Eight hundred and eighty seven pregnant women were included in the study who were positive SARS-CoV-2 results by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) on their nasal and pharyngeal swab specimens (352 with and 652 with no AMA). The risk of composite adverse maternal outcome was higher in AMA group compared to that of under 35 years of age group, with an OR of 1.99 (95% CI 1.4–2.9; p=0.002). Likewise, women >35 years were also at higher risk of hospital admission (OR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.4–2.5; p

New generation wearable devices allow for the development of interactive environments tailored for Virtual Reality (VR)– and Augmented Reality (AR)–based treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Experts agree on their potential; however, there is lack of consensus on how to perform trials and the need arises for evaluation frameworks, methods, and techniques appropriate for the ASD population. In this paper, we report on a study conducted with high-functioning ASD people in the 21–23 age range, with the objectives of (1) evaluating the engagement of two headsets offering distinct immersive experiences, (2) reasoning on the interpretation of engagement factors in the case of ASD people, and (3) translating results into general guidelines for the development of VR/AR-based ASD treatment. To this aim, we (1) designed two engagement evaluation frameworks based on behavioral observation measures, (2) set up two packages of reference immersive scenarios, (3) defined the association between metrics and scenarios, and (4) administered the scenarios in distinct sessions for the investigated headsets. Results show that the immersive experiences are engaging and that the apparent lack of success of some evaluation factors can become potential advantages within the framework of VR/AR-based ASD treatment design.

Prior research has used many variants of "be creative" or brainstorm instructions to enhance creativity in a variety of tasks. However, differences in instruction wording may lead to differences in instruction interpretation, and varying the placement of instructions before or after a written problem description may lead to differences in problem interpretation. This study investigated the effect of varying the wording and placement of creativity instructions on idea novelty, workability, and effectiveness. A randomized field experiment in two classrooms found that: (a) brainstorming and "be creative" instructions impact some dimensions of idea creativity, relative to standard instructions; (b) combining the two instructions increased the number of ideas only slightly compared with the "be creative" instruction; (c) the effect of the combined instruction varied across classrooms; and (d) the placement of instructions before or after a written problem description influenced novelty slightly. These results suggest that participant-constructed meaning of instruction may differ from the researcher-ascribed meaning and that enhancing the salience of the creativity requirement in instructions does not enhance novelty. The results also lead to propositions that creativity instructions induce a promotion focus during problem-solving and that creativity climate may moderate the impact of instructions.

Summary: The effects of UV light on the skin have been extensively investigated. However, systematic information about how the exposure to ultraviolet-A (UVA) light, the least energetic but the most abundant UV radiation reaching the Earth, shapes the subcellular organization of proteins is lacking. Using subcellular fractionation, mass-spectrometry-based proteomics, machine learning algorithms, immunofluorescence, and functional assays, we mapped the subcellular reorganization of the proteome of human keratinocytes in response to UVA light. Our workflow quantified and assigned subcellular localization for over 1,600 proteins, of which about 200 were found to redistribute upon UVA exposure. Reorganization of the proteome affected modulators of signaling pathways, cellular metabolism, and DNA damage response. Strikingly, mitochondria were identified as one of the main targets of UVA-induced stress. Further investigation demonstrated that UVA induces mitochondrial fragmentation, up-regulates redox-responsive proteins, and attenuates respiratory rates. These observations emphasize the role of this radiation as a potent metabolic stressor in the skin.

This study seeks to address the ways in which the federal government has influenced elementary and secondary education throughout Canada. By producing teaching and learning material that is neither provincially sanctioned nor provincially focused, are federal agencies crossing constitutional jurisdictions in ways that compete with provincially prescribed curricula? While scholars have considered federal involvement in education from an administrative and legal standpoint, they have done less to examine the actual teaching and learning material produced by federal departments and agencies. Such teaching and learning material represents an unofficial federal curriculum in Canada aimed at promoting a pan-Canadian shared sense of identity. Using the Quebec Education Program as a case study for comparison, this study suggests that the material in many instances conflicts with the aims and intentions of provincial curricula.

Home-to-school routes are very sensitive areas: they represent, for children, a learning tool for their everyday activities, but if poorly designed, maintained and equipped they can expose them to traffic risks. Sidewalks' inappropriate level of service and poor maintenance, especially, are main factors contributing to walking unsuitability, thus to poor comfort and safety levels for young pedestrians, and more in general for all the vulnerable non-motorized road users. This paper deals with a methodology specifically developed to highlight the quality of the urban environment where the home-to-school routes are located, according to four main criteria: wellbeing, usage, appearance, and safety and security. Each criterion is associated with a checklist including the most relevant features to assess, with a focus on maintenance as a key parameter to create safe and comfortable routes to school. An application, a case study in Rome, where the lack of regular maintenance results into a network of unsafe sidewalks, is also presented, analyzing three different areas where a number of schools are located. Detours when approaching school premises were surveyed, due to the levels of distresses and linked to the poor comfort and safety levels. As the mutual influence of built environment over road safety and maintenance requirements for home-to-school paths is not largely investigated thus far, the paper's goal is to provide advanced knowledge for studies and applications further afield.

The Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), also known as Wuhan coronavirus, causes the 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease or COVID-19. While coronavirus infection is a common and usually self-limiting infection, in a specific population like pregnant women, complications of the disease appear to be more relevant, and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to morbidity and mortality, especially in case of high pathogenicity virus. Most common complications associated with COVID-19 in pregnancy include preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and perinatal deaths. The risk of vertical transmission seems to be negligible.

Conventionally considered a developmental trait that would tend to disappear with the increase of wealth and the stabilization of democracy, corruption is rampant not just among developing countries and recent democracies, but also in mature democracies and developed countries. This editorial introduces the thematic issue and considers what the contributions tell us about new approaches to corruption control in the developed world. It also outlines avenues for future research in the field of corruption control.

Although the construction of block pavements has grown fast in the last decades, there is still a need for simple tools that could be applied to design them. This paper analyzed and verified concrete block pavements for urban and local roads composed of rectangular concrete pavers with plane side surfaces (no interlocking effect). The examined blocks were laid on a bedding sand layer, a cement treated base layer and a granular unbound foundation layer. The commercial finite element (FE) software ANSYS® was used to calculate the response of the pavement when subjected to different loading, construction configurations. Three wheel positions, five blocks patterns, three bedding sand thicknesses and joints gaps have been considered to evaluate stress-strain condition on pavement materials. Fatigue and rutting verification was performed respectively for bound and unbound pavement materials using analytical curves available in the literature. At the end of this study, a proposal for a catalogue is presented. It has nine pavement sets, because it takes into account three values of subgrade capacity (30, 90, and 150 MPa of resilient modulus) and three levels of traffic (400,000, 1,500,000, and 4,000,000 passages of commercial vehicles during the service life). The obtained results provide an inexpensive procedure for the preliminary design of concrete block pavements. Keywords: Block pavement, Finite element model, Concrete pavers, Local roads, Urban roads

Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinomas (UTUC) are generally uncommon, accounting for approximately 5% of all urinary tract tumours. This report describes a unique Case of a 52-year-old-male with no known risk factors or symptoms of UTUC, who presented with bilateral sub-massive pulmonary embolus (PE). Subsequent computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a small (