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Objectives To evaluate a postpartum telephone-based lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in high-risk women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Design Multicentre parallel randomised clinical trial.Setting Specialised antenatal clinics in the Brazilian National System.Methods Lifestyle Intervention for Diabetes Prevention After Pregnancy compared (1:1) postpartum telephone support for lifestyle changes with conventional care in women with recent GDM at substantial risk for diabetes. Randomisation started on 28 March 2015 and ended on 13 March 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used Cox regression to estimate HRs for diabetes and analysis of covariance adjusted for follow-up time to assess weight change.Outcomes The primary outcome was incident diabetes ascertained with blinded measurements of oral glucose tolerance tests. The secondary outcome was a change in measured weight.Results We enrolled 5323 women with GDM, 2735 (51%) being at high risk. After invitations, baseline assessment and exclusions, we assigned 466 women to intervention (231) or control (235) groups. Attendance was satisfactory (≥7/20 phone sessions) in 75%. Over an average follow-up of 29.7 (15.6) months, 142 (30.5%) women progressed to diabetes, 75 (32%) in the control and 67 (29%) in the intervention group. There was no reduction in the incidence of diabetes (HR=0.84; 0.60–1.19) and only a non-significant 0.97 kg less weight gain (p=0.09). Among the 305 women randomised more than 1 year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention did not reduce the incidence of diabetes (HR=0.71; 0.48–1.04) despite a 2.09 kg (p=0.002) lesser weight gain.Conclusion The strategy to identify women with GDM at high risk proved valid, as women often gained weight and frequently developed diabetes. Over a 30-month follow-up, telephone support for lifestyle changes at postpartum did not reduce weight gain or diabetes incidence, although only 75% attended the minimum number of telephone sessions. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted trial conduction.Trial registration number NCT02327286.

Sicily ranks as the third-largest region in Italy for olive growing and olive oil production, holding the second position nationally regarding the number of active olive oil mills. This pioneering study integrates spatial and economic analyses to examine the geographical distribution of olive oil mills in Sicily and their relationship with the localization of olive groves. Using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA), we conducted an advanced analysis of spatial patterns of olive oil mills, considering travel time on the road network. The adopted methodology addresses issues related to overestimation based on straight-line assumptions and the neglect of travel speed. Unlike traditional Euclidean distance approaches, our methodology provides a detailed understanding of the spatial relationships between olive oil mills and olive groves, revealing distinct patterns linked to elevation and proximity to olive groves. By linking profitability indicators with spatial clusters, we identify different thresholds of economic sustainability. Consequently, these findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the olive oil industry, suggesting more environmentally sustainable practices. Policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders can leverage this knowledge to make informed decisions that foster the long-term sustainability of the olive oil sector.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) identify attentional foci (AF) and coping strategies used by young fencers during matches and (b) explore the links between these variables using a grounded-theory approach. Using a naturalistic qualitative video-assisted approach, analyses revealed the emergence of five categories of AF (movements and techniques, strategies and tactics, situation evaluation, states, and extraneous attention) and six categories of coping strategies (mastery coping, internal regulation, goal-withdrawal strategies, behavioral regulation, no regulation, and automatic regulation). The grounded theory highlighted that pleasant emotional experiences tended to be related to mastery coping, which in turn favored the orientation of the attention toward AF that appeared to be most effective in winning points (i.e., opponent, distance, plan). Conversely, unpleasant emotional experiences were consistently associated with goal-withdrawal strategies (or no regulation), which generally led to a lack of AF and lower performance. Intervention suggestions are made in relation to the results of the proposed grounded theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aiming to study the performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, salivary cortisol levels, and economic viability of pigs administered aspartic protease, a total of 135 pigs were housed in pens in a randomized block design, divided into five treatments with nine replications. The experimental diets were positive control (PC), basic diet with a 5.0% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; negative control (NC) with a 7.5% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; NC + 100 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC100); NC + 150 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC150); and NC + 200 g/mT of neutral serine protease (NC200). The inclusion of protease, independently of the source and amount, increased the average daily weight gain (P 0.05) in the blood parameters or salivary cortisol levels were found. Regarding economic viability, proteases increased the profitability, with NC150 leading to the best results. Thus, the use of aspartic proteases is recommended to improve performance and further facilitate pork production.

El objetivo del presente artículo es indagar sobre los sentidos otorgados a la gastronomía gourmet en dos barrios populares de Buenos Aires como parte de una investigación más amplia en la que se discuten los procesos de mercantilización y desestigmatización a partir de proyectos de turismo comunitario urbano. El abordaje metodológico se asienta en una perspectiva etnográfica que incluye la observación participante, y las entrevistas a dueños y referentes de los espacios gastronómicos, a visitantes y al funcionariado del Gobierno involucrados en la difusión de estos espacios. El análisis se complementa con el estudio de material de prensa y publicaciones de las redes sociales, a fin de observar repercusiones más amplias. Como conclusiones se propone que, si bien el desarrollo de proyectos de turismo comunitario urbano en los barrios estudiados se ha desarrollado de manera dispar, el atractivo gastronómico es algo que se destaca en ambas propuestas. Los hallazgos nos previenen de elaborar conclusiones taxativas sobre los siguientes aspectos: 1) la correlación entre el crecimiento de estos nuevos emprendimientos; y 2) las amenazas reales de recualificación de los espacios donde se emplazan, debido a la multiplicidad de actores intervinientes, a los procesos de diversa duración asociados a los imaginarios socioespaciales que se atribuyen a los barrios populares y a las dinámicas propias de los consumos culturales urbanos.

Spatial and temporal variations in the level of dust activity can provide valuable information for policymaking and climate research. Recently, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol products have been successfully used for retrieving dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD), especially over bright dust source areas, and Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) aerosol reanalysis provides DAOD and additionally other dust-aerosol-related parameters. In this study, spatial and temporal variations in dust activity in Australia were analyzed using MODIS and MERRA-2 combined (M&M) DAOD and MERRA-2 near-surface dust concentrations and estimated PM10 for the period 1980–2020. Validation results show that M&M DAOD has an expected error of ±(0.016+0.15τ) compared to the ground observations at the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) dust storms on populated areas sites. MERRA-2 near-surface dust concentrations show a power-law relationship with visibility data collected at meteorological stations with an r2 value from 0.18 to 0.44, and the estimated MERRA-2 PM10 shows similar temporal variations and correlates with ground-based PM10 data with an r2 value from 0.14 to 0.44 at six selected stations in Australia. Moreover, MERRA-2 horizontal dust flux shows the same major dust pathways as those in previous studies and similar dust emissions and deposition areas identified using ground-based observations. Dust events based on DAOD over eastern Australia are concentrated in the north in December, are concentrated in the south in February, and can occur anywhere in January. Near-surface dust concentration was found to be the highest (over 200 µg m−3) over the center of Lake Eyre basin in central Australia and radially decreased toward the coast to below 20 µg m−3 via the two main pathways in the southwest and northeast. The ratio of near-surface dust concentration to PM10 shows a similar spatial pattern. Total dust emission was estimated to be 40 Mt (megatonnes) per year over the period 1980–2020, of which nearly 50 % was deposited on land and the rest exported away from the Australian continent.

In the last few decades, the traditional paradigm of teleonomy, in which the amino acid sequence of a protein is tightly associated with its structure and, in turn, with its function, has been partially undermined. The idea of a protein as a two-state object has been superseded by that of understanding it as a multistate object. Indeed, some proteins, or portions of a protein, display intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), which means that they lack stable secondary or tertiary structures. While we are aware that IDRs are present in almost half of the total human proteins, we are still quite far away from understanding their contextual-specific functions and figuring out how they mechanistically work. In the present perspective article, we will attempt to summarize the role/s of IDRs in ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS)-mediated protein quality control (PQC) at different levels, ranging from ubiquitination to protein degradation through the proteasome machinery up to their role in decoding the complex ubiquitin code. Ultimately, we will critically discuss the future challenges we are facing to gain insights into the role of IDRs in regulating UPS-mediated PQC.

Due to global shifts in demographics and advances in chronic illness management over the past few decades, domiciliary care has become the primary setting for caring for older people. In this regard, nurses play a crucial role, promoting quality care and minimizing hospital admissions and the need for institutionalization. However, historical and geographic variation in nursing titles and the multitude of labels for different roles have been obstacles to the creation of a clear map outlining specific nursing roles in home care for older people. The aim of this scoping review is to map the evidence on the different nurses’ roles in caring for older people in domiciliary settings. This review will include primary, secondary, and gray literature on nurses’ roles in domiciliary settings for older people, sourced through comprehensive searches of various databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL) and reference scanning. No language restrictions will be applied. Two independent reviewers will conduct screening and data extraction. The tabulated results will be informed by descriptive frequencies and content analysis, presenting comprehensive findings. The review protocol was retrospectively registered within OSF database on the 23 November 2023.

The γ decay of the elusive narrow, near-threshold proton resonance in 11B was investigated at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (INFN) in a particle-γ coincidence experiment, using the 6Li(6Li,pγ) fusion-evaporation reaction and the GALILEO-GALTRACE setup. No clear signature was found for a possible E1 decay to the 1/21−, first-excited state of 11B, predicted by the Shell Model Embedded in the Continuum (SMEC) with a branching of 0.98−69+167×10−3 with respect to the dominant particle-decaying modes. The statistical analysis of the γ-ray spectrum provided an average upper limit of 2.37×10−3 for this γ-ray branching, with a global significance of 5σ. On the other hand, by imposing a global confidence level of 3σ, a significant excess of counts was observed for E=γ9300(20) keV, corresponding to a resonance energy of 11429(20) keV (namely 200(20) keV above the proton separation energy of 11B) and a γ-ray branching of 1.12(35)×10−3. This result is compatible with the SMEC calculations, potentially supporting the existence of a near-threshold proton resonance in 11B.

Reduced transition probabilities have been extracted between excited, yrast states in the N=Z+2 nucleus 94Pd. The transitions of interest were observed following decays of the Iπ=14+, Ex=2129-keV isomeric state, which was populated following the projectile fragmentation of a 124Xe primary beam at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung accelerator facility as part of FAIR Phase-0. Experimental information regarding the reduced E2 transition strengths for the decays of the yrast 8+ and 6+ states was determined following isomer-delayed Eγ1−Eγ2−△T2,1 coincidence method, using the LaBr3(Ce)-based FATIMA fast-timing coincidence gamma-ray array, which allowed direct determination of lifetimes of states in 94Pd using the Generalized Centroid Difference (GCD) method. The experimental value for the half-life of the yrast 8+ state of 755(106) ps results in a reduced transition probability of B(E2:8→+6+) = 205−25+34 e2fm4, which enables a precise verification of shell-model calculations for this unique system, lying directly between the N=Z line and the N=50 neutron shell closure. The determined B(E2) value provides an insight into the purity of (g9/2)n configurations in competition with admixtures from excitations between the (lower) N=3pf and (higher) N=4gds orbitals for the first time. The results indicate weak collectivity expected for near-zero quadrupole deformation and an increasing importance of the T=0 proton-neutron interaction at N=48.

In recent years, efforts have been made to increase the proportion of electricity demand met by Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) play a crucial role in this frame, particularly in Microgrids (MGs) where DERs and clusters of loads are interconnected. This paper presents an Energy Management System (EMS) developed for a low-voltage MG installed in Italy, connecting Photovoltaic (PV) units, a Wind Turbine (WT), a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit and loads: the EMS aims to optimize the day-ahead scheduling of the MG, considering both economic and power quality criteria. The mathematical model incorporates the capability curves of the inverters connected to DERs and allows for curtailment of PV and WT units, with curtailment costs assessed using the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). Penalties for the absorption of reactive power from the external network are considered and evaluated in accordance with the current regulatory framework. Optimal Power Flow (OPF) equations are integrated into the EMS model, too. A preliminary analysis, carried out on a simplified MG, evaluates the impact of linearizing the DERs capability curves and OPF equations on the EMS’s outcomes. Finally, a sensitivity analysis evaluates the impact of different operational constraints and of different objective function formulations on the operation of the MG, discussing key energy and economic results.

Barakat syndrome, also called HDR syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder encompassing hypoparathyroidism (H), sensorineural deafness (D) and renal disease (R). A 64-year-old woman was referred to our endocrinology clinic for a switch in treatment (from dihydrotachysterol to calcitriol). She had progressive sensorineural deafness since the age of 18 and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism diagnosed at age of 36. Her medical history included osteoporosis with hip/spine fractures, nephrolithiasis and a family history of hearing loss, osteoporosis and kidney disease. The patient’s clinical presentation indicated Barakat syndrome. Genetic analysis found a GATA3:c.916C>T nonsense variant. Further tests such as audiometry, labs and renal imaging supported the diagnosis. Due to rarity and manifold symptoms, diagnosis can be challenging. Optional GATA3 testing was suggested in 2018, except in cases of isolated sensorineural deafness or renal disease with pertinent family history. In isolated ‘H’ cases without ‘D’ and ‘R’, GATA3 studies are not required, as no haploinsufficiency cases were reported. Given the rise in genetic disorders, physicians should consistently consider rare genetic disorders in patients with suggestive symptoms, even decades after onset. Although diagnosis might not always impact management directly, it aids patients in accepting their condition and has broader family implications.

Abstract Background Focal brain lesions following a stroke of the middle cerebral artery induce large-scale network disarray with a potential to impact multiple cognitive and behavioral domains. Over the last 20 years, non-invasive brain neuromodulation via electrical (tCS) stimulation has shown promise to modulate motor deficits and contribute to recovery. However, weak, inconsistent, or at times heterogeneous outcomes using these techniques have also highlighted the need for novel strategies and the assessment of their efficacy in ad hoc controlled clinical trials. Methods We here present a double-blind, sham-controlled, single-center, randomized pilot clinical trial involving participants having suffered a unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke resulting in motor paralysis of the contralateral upper limb. Patients will undergo a 10-day regime (5 days a week for 2 consecutive weeks) of a newly designed high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) protocol. Clinical evaluations (e.g., Fugl Meyer, NIHSS), computer-based cognitive assessments (visuo-motor adaptation and AX-CPT attention tasks), and electroencephalography (resting-state and task-evoked EEG) will be carried out at 3 time points: (I) Baseline, (II) Post-tDCS, and (III) Follow-up. The study consists of a four-arm trial comparing the impact on motor recovery of three active anodal tDCS conditions: ipsilesional DLPFC tDCS, contralesional cerebellar tDCS or combined DLPFC + contralesional cerebellar tDCS, and a sham tDCS intervention. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the upper extremity (FMA-UE) is selected as the primary outcome measure to quantify motor recovery. In every stimulation session, participants will receive 20 min of high-density tDCS stimulation (HD-tDCS) (up to 0.63 mA/ $${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$$ cm 2 ) with $${\mathrm{\pi cm}}^{2}$$ π cm 2 electrodes. Electrode scalp positioning relative to the cortical surface (anodes and cathodes) and intensities are based on a biophysical optimization model of current distribution ensuring a 0.25 V/m impact at each of the chosen targets. Discussion Our trial will gauge the therapeutic potential of accumulative sessions of HD-tDCS to improve upper limb motor and cognitive dysfunctions presented by middle cerebral artery stroke patients. In parallel, we aim at characterizing changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity as biomarkers of clinical effects and at identifying potential interactions between tDCS impact and motor performance outcomes. Our work will enrich our mechanistic understanding on prefrontal and cerebellar contributions to motor function and its rehabilitation following brain damage. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05329818. April 15, 2022.