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This study evaluated the postharvest evolution in terms of quality and functional traits of recently introduced mini plum tomato cultivars, differing for fruit pigmentation. The cultivars Santy Naranja (orange fruit) and Melange (dark red, green-striped fruit), along with the well-established ‘Angelle’ (red fruit), were monitored during refrigerated storage (10 °C) for 0, 7, and 14 days (hereafter S0, S7, and S14, respectively) inside closed polylactic acid trays. ‘Melange’ displayed the highest fruit fresh weight loss and total soluble solids (TSS) (9.28 °Bx), along with the lowest firmness (4.69 N), whereas ‘Santy Naranja’ showed the strongest color deviation during the storage period. Titratable acidity (TA) was relatively stable in ‘Melange’, while ‘Angelle’ experienced the highest decrease between S7 and S14, resulting in stronger TSS/TA fluctuations. Regarding the functional traits, ‘Melange’ had the highest total polyphenols content (TPC), whereas ‘Angelle’ excelled in total carotenoid content (TCC), ascorbic acid content (AsA), and fruits’ antioxidant activity, as revealed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. With reference to storage time, the O2 concentration in the headspace, TPC, AsA, and DPPH decreased between S0 and S14, whereas CO2 concentration, TCC, and FRAP increased, but these variations were mostly cultivar-dependent. This study provides insights into the postharvest behavior of novel mini plum tomato typologies and their ability to maintain quality over time, providing information for developing strategies to preserve their sensory and nutraceutical characteristics during refrigerated storage.

A numerical model for the simulation of the performance of an oscillating water column (OWC) subjected to non-breaking and breaking waves is proposed in this paper. The numerical model consists of a hydrodynamic model specifically designed to simulate breaking waves and a pneumatic model that takes into account the air compressibility. The proposed numerical model was applied to evaluate the potential mean annual energy production from the waves of two coastal sites characterized by different hydrodynamic conditions: a deep-water condition, where the OWC interacts with non-breaking waves, and a shallow-water condition, where the OWC is subjected to breaking waves. The numerical results show that the effects of the air compressibility can be considered negligible only in numerical simulations of the performances of reduced-scale OWC devices, such as those used in laboratory experiments. We demonstrated that in real-scale simulations, the effect of the air compressibility within the OWC chamber significantly reduces its ability to extract energy from waves. The numerical results show that the effect of the air compressibility is even more significant in the case of a real-scale OWC located in the surf zone, where it interacts with breaking waves.

In the present paper the humidity sensing properties of regioregular rr-P3HT (poly-3-hexylthiophene) polymer films is investigated by means of surface acoustic wave (SAW) based sensors implemented on LiNbO3 (1280 Y-X) and ST-quartz piezoelectric substrates. The polymeric layers were deposited along the SAW propagation path by spray coating method and the layers thickness was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. The response of the SAW devices to relative humidity (rh) changes in the range ~5–60% has been investigated by measuring the SAW phase and frequency changes induced by the (rh) absorption in the rr-P3HT layer. The SAW sensor implemented onto LiNbO3 showed improved performance as the thickness of the membrane increases (from 40 to 240 nm): for 240 nm thick polymeric membrane a phase shift of about −1.2 deg and −8.2 deg was measured for the fundamental (~78 MHz operating frequency) and 3rd (~234 MHz) harmonic wave at (rh) = 60%. A thick rr-P3HT film (~600 nm) was deposited onto the quartz-based SAW sensor: the sensor showed a linear frequency shift of ~−20.5 Hz per unit (rh) changes in the ~5–~50% rh range, and a quite fast response (~5 s) even at low humidity level (~5% rh). The LiNbO3 and quartz-based sensors response was assessed by using a dual delay line system to reduce unwanted common mode signals. The simple and cheap spray coating technology for the rr-P3HT polymer films deposition, complemented with fast low level humidity detection of the tested SAW sensors (much faster than the commercially available Michell SF-52 device), highlight their potential in a low-medium range humidity sensing application.

Increasingly, children are engaging in early literacy experiences through digital devices. This raises questions about how electronic reading compares to print reading. To assess this, we randomly assigned 200 children (3-5 years) to be read the same book (1) with auto-narration on a tablet or (2) by a researcher from a print book. Reading was recorded and coded for behavioral and emotional engagement and vocalizations. Children were also tested on their story comprehension and vocabulary. Children had slightly higher posttest scores in the print condition. Older children and females also scored higher. There was an interaction between weekly tablet use and book platform. Children were equally engaged with the e-book and print book, but vocalized more about the device in the e-book condition. Findings suggest that e-books offer many of the same, but not all, of the educational affordance as print books. Additionally, novelty might be important in supporting comprehension.

Abstract Aims Specialist cardiology care is associated with a prognostic benefit in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) admitted with decompensated HF. However, up to one third of patients admitted with HF and normal ejection fraction (HFnEF) do not receive specialist cardiology input. Whether this has prognostic implications is unknown. Methods and results Data on patients hospitalized with HFnEF from two tertiary centres were analysed. The primary outcome measure was all‐cause mortality during follow‐up. The secondary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. A total of 1413 patients were included in the study. Of these, 23% (n = 322) did not receive in‐hospital specialist cardiology input. Patients seen by a cardiologist were less likely to have hypertension (73% vs. 79%, P = 0.03) and respiratory co‐morbidities (25% vs. 31%, P = 0.02) compared with those who did not receive specialist input. Similarly, clinical presentation was more severe for those who received specialist input (New York Heart Association III/IV 83% vs. 75% respectively, P = 0.003; moderate‐to‐severe peripheral oedema 65% vs. 54%, P

Abstract Background Volumetric Muscle Loss (VML), resulting from severe trauma or surgical ablation, is a pathological condition preventing myofibers regeneration, since skeletal muscle owns the remarkable ability to restore tissue damage, but only when limited in size. The current surgical therapies employed in the treatment of this pathology, which particularly affects military personnel, do not yet provide satisfactory results. For this reason, more innovative approaches must be sought, specifically skeletal muscle tissue engineering seems to highlight promising results obtained from preclinical studies in VML mouse model. Despite the great results obtained in rodents, translation into human needs a comparable animal model in terms of size, in order to validate the efficacy of the tissue engineering approach reconstructing larger muscle mass (human-like). In this work we aim to demonstrate the validity of a porcine model, that has underwent a surgical ablation of a large muscle area, as a VML damage model. Results For this purpose, morphological, ultrasound, histological and fluorescence analyses were carried out on the scar tissue formed following the surgical ablation of the peroneus tertius muscle of Sus scrofa domesticus commonly called mini-pig. In particular, the replenishment of the damaged area, the macrophage infiltration and the vascularization at different time-points were evaluated up to the harvesting of the scar upon six months. Conclusion Here we demonstrated that following VML damage, there is an extremely poor regenerative process in the swine muscle tissue, while the formation of fibrotic, scar tissue occurs. The analyses performed up to 180 days after the injury revealed the development of a stable, structured and cellularized tissue, provided with vessels and extracellular matrix acquiring the status of granulation tissue like in human.

As in 2011, when the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN) published the Spanish adaptation to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) universal Guideline on Chronic Kidney Disease–Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD–MBD), this document contains an update and an adaptation of the 2017 KDIGO guidelines to our setting. In this field, as in many other areas of nephrology, it has been impossible to irrefutably answer many questions, which remain pending. However, there is no doubt that the close relationship between the CKD–MBD/cardiovascular disease/morbidity and mortality complex and new randomised clinical trials in some areas and the development of new drugs have yielded significant advances in this field and created the need for this update. We would therefore highlight the slight divergences that we propose in the ideal objectives for biochemical abnormalities in the CKD–MBD complex compared to the KDIGO suggestions (for example, in relation to parathyroid hormone or phosphate), the role of native vitamin D and analogues in the control of secondary hyperparathyroidism and the contribution of new phosphate binders and calcimimetics. Attention should also be drawn to the adoption of important new developments in the diagnosis of bone abnormalities in patients with kidney disease and to the need to be more proactive in treating them. In any event, the current speed at which innovations are taking place, while perhaps slower than we might like, globally drives the need for more frequent updates (for example, through Nefrología al día). Resumen: Al igual a como ocurrió en el año 2011, cuando la Sociedad Española de Nefrología (SEN) publicó la adaptación española a las guías universales Kidney Disease Initiative Global Outcomes (KDIGO) sobre alteraciones del metabolismo óseo-mineral en la enfermedad renal crónica (CKD–MBD), este documento contiene una actualización y adaptación a nuestro medio de las guías KDIGO del 2017. En este campo, al igual que en muchos otros nefrológicos, no se ha podido contestar irrefutablemente muchas cuestiones pendientes aún. Sin embargo, no hay duda acerca de la estrecha relación entre el complejo CKD–MBD/patología cardiovascular/morbimortalidad, nuevos ensayos clínicos aleatorizados en algunas áreas o la aparición de nuevos fármacos han proporcionado notables avances en este campo y crearon la necesidad de dicha actualización. Así, destacamos las discretas divergencias que ofrecemos en los objetivos ideales de las alteraciones bioquímicas del complejo CKD–MBD respecto a las sugerencias de las KDIGO (en relación, por ejemplo, con la hormona paratiroidea o fosfato), el papel de la vitamina D nativa y análogos en el control del hiperparatiroidismo secundario, así como la contribución de nuevos captores de fosfato y calcimiméticos. Asimismo, es de destacar la adopción de importantes novedades en el diagnóstico de las alteraciones óseas del paciente renal y la necesidad de tomar actitudes más proactivas en su tratamiento. En cualquier caso, la velocidad a la que acaecen novedades actualmente, aunque menor de la que sería deseable, sí impulsan globalmente la necesidad de actualizaciones con menor demora (por ejemplo, a través de Nefrología al día).

An 81-year-old woman presented with acute pulmonary edema. Echocardiography revealed severe functional mitral regurgitation, the mechanism of which was unusual. An atypical bileaflet tethering caused by disharmonic annular remodeling, concomitant aortic dilatation, and reduced aorto-mitral angle without left ventricular dysfunction or dilatation was found. A transcatheter edge-to-edge repair was nonetheless successfully performed.

ABSTRACT: Background: The presence of mitral annulus disjunction (MAD) has been considered a high-risk feature for sudden cardiac death based on selected study populations. We aimed to assess the prevalence of MAD in consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), its association with ventricular arrhythmias, mitral valve prolapse (MVP), and other CMR features. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients referred to CMR at our institution between June 2021 and November 2021. MAD was defined as a ≥1 mm displacement between the left atrial wall-mitral valve leaflet junction and the left ventricular wall during end-systole. MAD extent was defined as the maximum longitudinal displacement. Associates of MAD were evaluated at univariable and multivariable regression analysis. The study endpoint, a composite of (aborted) sudden cardiac death, unexplained syncope, and sustained ventricular tachycardia, was evaluated at a 12-month follow-up. Results: Four hundred and forty-one patients 55 ± 18 years, 267/441 (61%) males) were included, and 29/441 (7%) had MVP. The prevalence of MAD ≥1 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm was 214/441 (49%), 63/441 (14%), and 15/441 (3%), respectively. Patients with MVP showed a higher prevalence of MAD greater than 1 mm (26/29 (90%) vs 118/412 (46%)); p

There are more than 3,500 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) on the global market for human and veterinary use. Residues of these APIs eventually reach the aquatic environment. Although an environmental risk assessment (ERA) for marketing authorization applications of medicinal products is mandatory in the European Union since 2006, an ERA is lacking for most medicines approved prior to 2006 (legacy APIs). Since it is unfeasible to perform extensive ERA tests for all these legacy APIs, there is a need for prioritization of testing based on the limited data available. Prioritized APIs can then be further investigated to estimate their environmental risk in more detail. In this study, we prioritized more than 1,000 APIs used in Europe based on their predicted risk for aquatic freshwater ecosystems. We determined their risk by combining an exposure estimate (Measured or Predicted Environmental Concentration; MEC or PEC, respectively) with a Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC). We developed several procedures to combine the limited empirical data available with in silico data, resulting in multiple API rankings varying in data needs and level of conservativeness. In comparing empirical with in silico data, our analysis confirmed that the PEC estimated with the default parameters used by the European Medicines Agency often – but not always – represents a worst-case scenario. Comparing the ecotoxicological data for the three main taxonomic groups, we found that fish represents the most sensitive species group for most of the APIs in our list. We furthermore show that the use of in silico tools can result in a substantial underestimation of the ecotoxicity of APIs. After combining the different exposure and effect estimates into four risk rankings, the top-ranking APIs were further screened for availability of ecotoxicity data in data repositories. This ultimately resulted in the prioritization of 15 APIs for further ecotoxicological testing and/or exposure assessment.

This study examined the impact of Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (PASL), a school based social emotional reform implemented in the Broward County Florida Public Schools. Taking advantage of a phased roll out of PASL, we analyzed data collected during the first implementation year (2017-18) and compared 205 9th grade students in 6 schools that received PASL with 1139 comparison group students in 5 schools that received PASL in later years. Focusing on student social emotional outcomes, including school engagement, self-efficacy, and self-regulation, we found that PASL effects, though small and insignificant on average, might vary by students and depend on their initial engagement at the beginning of the 9th grade. The lower a student's initial engagement, the stronger the PASL effects on end-of-year engagement and self-efficacy.

The present investigation was conducted to explore the role of potassium nutrition in improving biomass and physio-chemical alterations to reduce the adverse effects of salinity in mungbean. A sand-culture experiment was carried out under different salinity levels (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl) with two levels of potassium (0 and 50 mM K2SO4) and two mungbean cultivars (NM-92 and Ramzan), and the alterations in mungbean biomass and metabolic activities were investigated. The results suggested that salinity significantly reduced the biomass, nitrate reductase activity (NRA), nitrite reductase activity (NiRA), total soluble proteins, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous contents in both mungbean cultivars in comparison to the control. However, K2SO4 at 50 mM significantly improved all the parameters in both mungbean cultivars except for the sodium content. A significant increase in the total free amino acids, carotenoids, and sodium content in both mungbean cultivars was observed due to salt stress. Moreover, principal component analysis and heatmaps were developed individually for both mungbean cultivars to assess the variability and correlation among the studied attributes under all applied treatments. Under saline conditions, the mungbean ‘Ramzan’ showed more marked reductions in almost all the growth parameters as compared to ‘NM-92’. The results suggest that the application of K2SO4 ameliorates the adverse effects of salinity by regulating osmolyte production, NRA, and NiRA, thus promoting plant growth and productivity.

Woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.) is an underutilized plant species that could benefit from the use of biostimulants to improve crop productivity and fruit quality. The scope of the present study was to appraise the influence of two biostimulants (Trichoderma atroviride and plant protein hydrolysate)—used either alone or combined—on the plant performance and economic profitability of two woodland strawberry genotypes (‘Alpine’ and ‘Regina delle Valli’). Overall, data showed that ‘Alpine’ had the highest productive performances, whereas ‘Regina delle Valli’ revealed the highest fruit qualitative traits. T. atroviride inoculation and V-PH application significantly boosted plant marketable yield (+20.5% for T. atroviride and +12.9% for V-PH), total sugars (+1.9% for Trichoderma and +1.4% for V-PH) and anthocyanins (+14.1% for T. atroviride and +9.8% for V-PH) compared to non-treated plants. Plants supplied with both biostimulants had a higher marketable yield (+34.8%), mean fruit weight (+6.0%), fruit dry matter (+13.8%), total sugars (+3.5%), ascorbic acid (+12.7%), flavonoid (+26.3%) and anthocyanins (+29.9%) compared to non-treated plants. Furthermore, our study revealed that the highest fruit polyphenol concentration was recorded in both genotypes treated with the combination of biostimulants and in ‘Regina delle Valli’ sprayed with V-PH, whereas the highest antioxidant activity was found in ‘Regina delle Valli’ fruit when plants were supplied with both biostimulants. Our study pointed out that the application of microbial and non-microbial biostimulants, especially in combination, might be a useful strategy for improving the performances of underutilized species and, therefore, encouraging their cultivation, valorization and economic profitability (+6208.3 EUR /ha when plants were exposed to both biostimulants).

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is increasingly being considered for use in younger patients having longer life expectancy than those who were initially treated. The TAVR-in-TAVR procedure represents an appealing strategy to treat failed transcatheter heart valves (THV) likely occurring in young patients. However, the permanent displacement of first THV can potentially compromise the coronary access and ultimately inhibit the blood flow circulation. The objective of this study was to use finite-element analysis (FEA) to quantify coronary flow in a patient who underwent TAVR-in-TAVR. A parametric investigation was carried out to determine the impact of both the implantation depth and device size on coronary flow for several deployment configurations. The FEAs consisted of first delivering the SAPIEN 3 Ultra THV and then positioning the Evolut PRO device. Findings indicates that high implantation depth and device undersize of the second THV could significantly reduce coronary flow to 20% of its estimated level before TAVR. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between coronary flow and the valve-to-coronary distance (R = 0.86 and p = 0.032 for the left coronary artery, and R = 0.93 and p = 0.014 for the right coronary artery). This study demonstrated that computational modeling can provide valuable insights to improve the pre-procedural planning of TAVR-in-TAVR.

Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common causes of disability, affecting all individuals at least once in their lifetime. Such a condition is also becoming increasingly frequent in the pediatric population, especially in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. Furthermore, new-onset LBP during adolescence has been demonstrated to be a strong predictor of developing LBP later in life, contributing to poorer outcomes and increasing social and medical costs. Several causes and different mechanisms have been considered for the development of LBP in pediatric individuals affected by obesity. For this reason, planning adequate prevention and treatment strategies, mainly through conservative lifestyle changes, would be crucial to anticipate the negative consequences of persisting LBP in adulthood. The aim of this narrative review was to characterize the relationship between LBP and overweight/obesity in the pediatric population, highlighting epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects. In addition, prevention and treatment approaches will be reviewed considering the need to reduce the burden of LBP on this population. According to our search, LBP was more frequent in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity and has been associated with several anthropometric and lifestyle factors, including lumbar hyperlordosis, sedentary habits, physical inactivity, carrying a heavy schoolbag, low vitamin D levels, psychosocial ill-being, and premature intervertebral disc degeneration. Most of these conditions may be addressed with conservative strategies mainly consisting of dietary adjustments, physical exercise, education programs, and physical therapy.