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The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence and spatial distribution of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like compounds in topsoils of Taranto (Apulia Region), one of the most heavily industrialized and contaminated area of Southern Italy. A combined approach of chemical analysis by GC-MS/MS and AhR reporter gene bioassay was applied in a subset of topsoil samples (n = 20) collected in 2017-18 from ten sites embracing three levels of risk (from high to low) in the framework of a large survey inside Taranto municipality. TCDD-BEQs and GC-MS/MS TEQWHO and TEQTHEORETICAL revealed a decreasing trend with the distance from main industrial settings and landfill areas. A strong correlation between TCDD-BEQs and TEQWHO values (R2 = 0.85) and TEQTHEORETICAL (R2 = 0.88) was also found. In 3 out of 10 topsoil investigated, BEQs and TEQWHO/THEORETICAL resulted above Italian National Regulatory Limits for ∑PCDD/Fs in green, private and recreational used soils (10 ng TEQ/kg d.w. D.Lgs 152/2006) and for ∑PCDD/F/dl-PCBs in agricultural and farming soil (6 ng TEQ/kg d.w. D.M. 46/2019). GC-MS/MS pattern revealed the highest prevalence of dl-PCBs in 6 out of 10 sites, followed by PCDFs and PCDDs. Those sites are all located in proximity of main industrial steel and iron ore sinter plant, steel plant’s landfills and illegal dumping sites. An update on occurrence and spatial distribution of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs contamination of Taranto urban soils was obtained and the DR-CALUX® bioassay was further recommended as a suitable screening tool for environmental and human risk assessment.

In this paper we describe a novel and efficient System on Chip Field Programmable Gate Array (SoC FPGA) implementation and test bench for short Polar Codes on an Intel DE10-Standard Development Kit. Encoder and decoder are synthesized on the FPGA fabric and the whole functionality of a complete test bench is developed with an embedded ARM-based hard processor system. A Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) Hardware Description Language (VHDL) parametric design allows synthesis for different code lengths and is suitable for rate-adaptive decoding schemes. We implement fully-unrolled encoder and decoder architectures to achieve high troughputs and lower energy requirements, and achieve an 11% higher throughput than a reference implementation, for short Polar Codes. A novel Merged Processing Element (MPE) is optimized to be used with Sign–Magnitude LLR (SM LLR) discrete representations and pre-computing results in the decoder to reduce latency and resource consumption in comparison to reference designs. A simplified version of this MPE is also implemented, trading higher latencies for lower resource requirements. The SoC test bench design allows single-board automated testing and is also suitable for other error-correcting schemes. Error-correcting performance is evaluated for different combinations of integer and decimal part bits in LLR quantified representations. Also a new simplified non-statistical LLR metric was tested with promising results.

Many of the ways in which music can be used to create meaning for its consumers have been the subject of existing social semiotic literature. However, less is known about how social and cultural environments impact the development of musical sounds. This study uses Tagg’s sign typology as a framework for identifying meaningful signs such as form, responsoriality, and melodic complexity in three jazz bebop recordings by Charlie Parker. It is argued that the values of individuality, communication, and competition expressed by bebop music may be reflections of a sociolinguistic phenomenon known as ritual insults, thus demonstrating one way in which culture affects the creation of musical styles.

Summary Misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are degraded by ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Although ERAD components involved in degradation of luminal substrates are well characterized, much less is known about quality control of membrane proteins. Here, we analyzed the degradation pathways of two short-lived ER membrane model proteins in mammalian cells. Using a CRISPR-Cas9 genome-wide library screen, we identified an ERAD branch required for quality control of a subset of membrane proteins. Using biochemical and mass spectrometry approaches, we showed that this ERAD branch is defined by an ER membrane complex consisting of the ubiquitin ligase RNF185, the ubiquitin-like domain containing proteins TMUB1/2 and TMEM259/Membralin, a poorly characterized protein. This complex cooperates with cytosolic ubiquitin ligase UBE3C and p97 ATPase in degrading their membrane substrates. Our data reveal that ERAD branches have remarkable specificity for their membrane substrates, suggesting that multiple, perhaps combinatorial, determinants are involved in substrate selection., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • The RNF185 ubiquitin ligase, Membralin, and TMUB1/2 assemble into an ERAD complex • RNF185/Membralin complex targets membrane proteins, including CYP51A1 and TMUB2 • RNF185/Membralin and TEB4 ERAD complexes recognize distinct substrate features • TEB4 ERAD complex recognizes substrates through their transmembrane domain, Membrane proteins are diverse, and the components involved in their quality control in each case are unclear. By comparing the degradation of two short-lived ER proteins, van de Weijer et al. identified an ERAD complex composed of RNF185, TMUBs, and Membralin, a membrane protein essential to neuronal function.

En este artículo reflexionamos en torno a las implicancias metodológicas y subjetivas de realizar trabajo de campo en contextos de encierro. A partir de dos experiencias etnográficas diversas, en dos complejos carcelarios de la provincia de Córdoba, indagamos sobre los roles de los antropólogos y las complejas situaciones que atravesamos durante el trabajo de campo en cárceles. A partir de la comparación de ambos casos pudimos observar cómo las distintas maneras de ingresar a la cárcel pusieron de manifiesto formas diferenciadas de control institucional sobre los cuerpos visitantes. Así, en el primer caso, una antropóloga entró acompañando a una de las personas con las que trabajaba para su tesis, quien iba a visitar a un familiar. En dicha cárcel se destinaba un día de la semana para el ingreso no sólo de familiares, sino también amigos de los internos, por lo que pudo ingresar en esa categoría. En el segundo caso, otro antropólogo lo hizo en el rol de profesor, a partir de un programa institucionalizado de una universidad que dictaba talleres de Derechos Humanos a personas privadas de libertad en centros penitenciarios de la provincia. In this article we reflect on the methodological and subjective implications of doing fieldwork in confinement contexts. We work on different ethnographic experiences, in two prisons in the province of Córdoba in Argentina, on the roles of anthropologists and the situations we have undergone during fieldwork. From the comparison of both cases we observed how the different ways of entering the prison showed differentiated forms of institutional control. In this way, in the first case, an anthropologist joined the family of two prisoners when they went to visit them. This prison allowed friends of prisoners to visit them one day of the week, hence the anthropologist could enter as a friend. In the second case, another anthropologist could enter as a professor as part of a University educational program that carried out Human Rights workshops in penitentiaries of Córdoba province. Fil: Liberatori Banegas, Marina Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Villarreal, Alberto Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina

We describe here the case of a young patient, employed in agriculture, who entered the emergency room with fever, headache, hematuria and a worsening of renal function; we diagnosed leptospirosis with renal involvement. As the patient lamented very generic symptoms, the anamnesis was fundamental in leading us to suspect an infection, execute the right laboratory analysis, and correctly diagnose a pathology which is currently very rare in Italy.

Polar codes are a class of forward error correction codes that can provably achieve the capacity of discrete memoryless channels. In some polar decoding schemes, successive cancellation decoders carry out estimations of the original messages, using update rules from two functions that involve arithmetic operations. Processing elements are basic blocks of the decoder that implement these functions. The interconnection of a great number of these elements forms a network which operates on the log-likelihood ratios from the channel to finally achieve the best possible estimation of the original message bits, hence the importance of a thorough design of them. Any simplification or resource saving in the design of these elements directly impacts the hardware complexity of the decoder. Also, any improvement in their throughput should have a similar effect in the performance of the decoder. In this work we present two generic, fully combinational designs for processing elements. They take into consideration the possibility of overflow of the quantized values, and use pre-computation to reduce latency. These designs can be used in different hardware decoder architectures to improve their throughput and area requirement.

In this paper, a decoder for Low-Density ParityCheck codes is proposed. The system employs a genetic algorithm aided by syndrome weight selection and distance logic. Genetic algorithms were chosen due to their capability to perform heuristic searches using evolution-based convergence while also exploring wide spaces. The paper has considered the performance of the decoder over an impulse noise channel, typical to power line communications, and a type of disturbance commonly found in most transmission mediums and devices. The resulting system is shown to perform as well as the standard sum-product decoder, with the additional advantage of not requiring knowledge of the channel information (noise type or power). A parallel decoding topology is proposed, where error rate performance can be improved by the addition of concurrent decoders. Furthermore, this scheme allows for genetic algorithm complexity to be reduced, as the addition of parallel blocks can compensate the individual loss in error rate performance.

En este artículo busco reflexionar, etnográficamente, sobre diferentes moralidades configuradas en torno a una muerte acontecida en una villa de Córdoba en diciembre de 2010. Ludo Hernández era un joven de 18 años quien era acusado de incurrir en ciertas prácticas delictivas tales como robos, consumo y venta de drogas, entre otras. Murió asesinado el 29 de diciembre de 2010 por el impacto de una bala, a dos cuadras de su casa. A partir de allí los vecinos de La Tela construyeron diversos relatos sobre esta muerte; muchos de ellos vinculados con cuestionamientos morales relacionados con su conducta, con la educación recibida por su familia, y por consiguiente, con la reputación de la misma. Su madre, por su parte, erigió su versión de los hechos en base a cuestiones sobrenaturales que le permitieron contrarrestar las acusaciones morales y, de alguna manera, "limpiar" la memoria del muerto, a la vez que canalizar el sufrimiento. En este sentido, intentaré reconstruir las diferentes explicaciones en torno a esta muerte, como así también las diversas moralidades que se jugaron en las mismas. Para ello compararé la muerte de Ludo Hernández, con la de otro joven quien también fue asesinado en la villa, pero en un contexto completamente diferente, puesto que era considerado por sus vecinos como un "chico bueno" y por tanto, su muerte fue llorada y considerada "injusta". In this article I propose an ethnographic reflection about different moralities configured around a death happened in a slum in Cordoba on December 2010. Ludo Hernández was a young man who was accused of stealing, using and selling drugs, among others criminal practices. He was killed on December 29, 2010. Then the neighbours of La Tela built stories about this death; many of them about moral questions related to his behaviour, to the education received by his family, and therefore, to the reputation of them. His mother tried to "clean" the memory of Ludo, and at the same time, to face suffering. In this sense, I will try to reconstruct the different explanations around this death. I will compare the death of Ludo Hernández, with the death of another young man who was also murdered in La Tela, but in a completely different context, since he was considered as a “good boy” by his neighbors, so his death was mourned and considered "unfair". Fil: Liberatori Banegas, Marina Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina

Transcription factors of the NF-κB family play a crucial role for immune responses by activating the expression of chemokines, cytokines, and antimicrobial peptides involved in pathogen clearance. IκBζ, an atypical nuclear IκB protein and selective coactivator of particular NF-κB target genes, has recently been identified as an essential regulator for skin immunity. This study discovered that IκBζ is strongly induced in keratinocytes that sense the fungal glucan zymosan A. Additionally, IκBζ is essential for the optimal expression of proinflammatory genes, such as IL6, CXCL5, IL1B, or S100A9. Moreover, this study found that IκBζ was not solely regulated on the transcriptional level but also by phosphorylation events. This study identified several IκBζ phosphorylation sites, including a conserved cluster of threonine residues located in the N-terminus of the protein, which can be phosphorylated by MAPKs. Surprisingly, IκBζ phosphorylation at this threonine cluster promoted the recruitment of histone deacetylase 1 to specific target gene promoters and, thus, negatively controlled transcription. Taken together, this study proposes a model of how an antifungal response translates to the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and highlights an additional layer of complexity in the regulation of the NF-κB responses in keratinocytes.

Partindo da impossibilidade de dissociação doone off linenas sociedades contemporâneas, este trabalho discute as possibilidades de integração entre metodologias digitais e etnográficas-participantespara a abordagem de contextos/situaçõesde pesquisa perpassados pela violência urbana e de Estado. Para tanto, apresentam-seresultados sobre uma pesquisa feita em 2017num conjunto de favelas cariocas a partir do monitoramento do Twitter no marco de um projeto de pesquisa de cunho qualitativo-participante sobre jovens, educação e cultura em contextos vulneráveis. Nos resultados, observa-sea pertinência da pesquisa em mídias digitais como complemento à pesquisa empírica qualitativa-participante,tendo em vista sua potencialidade como ?preenchimento de vazios? em situações onde o experiencial é impedido. Evidencia-se a efetividade da estratégiana obtenção de dados contextuais, permitindo novos e diferenciados insights. Finalmente,considera-se queas pesquisas que transitem por ambas esferas (adigital e a ?experiencial?) permitem integrar análises,possibilitando um maior entendimentoda realidade social. Neste sentido, sugere-se a potencialidade dasteorias críticas que abordamo encontro entretecnologia, ciência, artee sociedade para permitirolhares e ferramentas complementares às pesquisas sociais em contextos de violência e vulneração social. Reconociendo la imposibilidad de disociar lo on y off line en las sociedades contemporáneas, este trabajo discute las posibilidades de integración entre metodologías digitales y etnográficas-participantes para el abordaje de contextos/situaciones atravesadas por la violencia urbana y de Estado. Para ello, se presentan una estrategia de investigación realizada en 2017 en la cual se ensayó monitoreo de redes sociales digitales en el marco de un proyecto de investigación cualitativo-participante sobre jóvenes, educación y cultura un conjunto de favelas cariocas. En los resultados, se observa la pertinencia de la investigación en medios digitales como complemento a la investigación empírica cualitativa-participante teniendo en vista su potencialidad para “estar presente” cuando la vía experiencial es impedida. La estrategia fue efectiva para la obtención de datos contextuales, permitiendo nuevos y diferenciados insights. Finalmente se considera que las investigaciones que transite por ambas esferas (la digital y la "experiencial") permiten integrar análisis a fin de un mayor entendimiento de la realidad social. En este sentido, se sugiere la potencialidad de las teorías críticas que problematizan la junción entre tecnología, ciencia, arte y sociedad a fin de incorporar miradas y herramientas complementarias a las investigaciones sociales en contextos de violencia y vulneración social. Based on the impossibility of dissociating “on and off - line world” in contemporary societies, this paper discusses the possibilities of integration between digital and ethnographic-participant methodologies to approach contexts or situations pervaded by urban and state violence. To this end, we present results on a research done in 2017 in a set of Rio de Janeiro’s slums, in which Twitter monitoring was integrate in a qualitative-participant research project about youth, education and culture in vulnerable contexts. As results observed that researches in digital media could work like complements to larger qualitative-participant researches. There for, in situations where the experiential is impeded, digital media research has potential as a way to "filling of voids", being effective in the acquisition of contextual data and allowing new and differentiated insights. Finally, it is considered that the research that transits through both spheres (the digital and the "experiential") allows to integrate analyzes to greater understand the social reality. In this sense, the potentiality of the critical theories that address the encounter between technology, science, art and society is suggested, in order to complementary approaches and tools for social research in contexts of violence and social vulnerability. Fil: Carranza Weihmüller, Valentina. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil Fil: Vermelho, Sônia Cristina. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil Fil: Liberatori Banegas, Marina Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina

Contemporary societies overwhelmingly chose to organise themselves politically in the form of states, social constructs within which different groups are expected to behave consistently with generally accepted norms. Social constructs, however, are not immutable. Groups' behaviours within the state are fluid and may cause fundamental changes in the polity's organisation. This is the case of coups d'Etat, when armies overtake the bureaucratically established executive and assume direct control of the state. This research project adopts a new perspective towards the analysis of military coups. Based on a Constructivist approach to the dynamics occurring in the immediate aftermath of golpes, this research aims at improving our understanding of the phenomenon. Specifically, this paper will analyse how members of the army employ discourse legitimisation techniques to legitimise in front of the state's society their change of behaviour from law enforcement actors to policymakers. This research analysed and collected the broader sociological and political research over discourse legitimisation practices, collating them into a coherent framework to be employed in the analysis of during- and post-coups discourses. According to this framework, discourse legitimisation techniques occur at three different...

Desde hace más de una década en Argentina se ha venido gestando una profunda preocupación por la problemática social de la inseguridad. Esta categoría es a menudo relacionada con el miedo al delito desde la agenda política y algunos sectores sociales, principalmente las clases medias y altas y algunos medios de comunicación. Desde estas perspectivas se tienden a juzgar como peligrosas a personas, principalmente jóvenes hombres, que viven en villas y barrios pobres. A partir de un intenso trabajo de campo en 2009-2015, he podido observar que en villa La Tela se configuran diferentes representaciones y prácticas en relación con el miedo. Estas se vinculan con los estigmas que se construyen sobre ese lugar y sus habitantes, con las desventajas materiales de la vida en la villa, con la precariedad laboral, entre otras cuestiones. El miedo es una construcción relacional, y a veces ambigua, que presenta al menos una doble faceta entre quienes temen y quienes son temidos. Algunos jóvenes se apropian de esos estigmas de peligrosidad y maldad que les son asignados “haciéndose los malos” para conseguir diversos fines, como dinero, mujeres y respeto. Es decir, invierten el miedo usando el miedo como capital en un contexto social donde escasean otros tipos de capitales. For more than a decade a deep concern for the social problems of insecurity has been developing in Argentina. This category is often related to the fear of crime in the political agenda and among some social sectors, mainly the middle and upper classes and some media. From these perspectives, those who live in slums, and mainly young men, tend to be judged as dangerous people. Through intensive fieldwork in 2009-2015, I have been able to observe how in the La Tela slum, fear is diverse and is not sensed necessarily as related to insecurity, but to the stigmas that are built about that place and its people, the material disadvantages of life in the slum, precarious work, among other issues. Additionally, fear is a relational, and sometimes ambiguous, construction that is at least double-sided, for there are those who fear and those who are feared. Some young people appropriate those stigmas of danger and evil that are assigned to them and assume the attitude of “bad guys” for purposes such as getting money, women, and respect. In other words, they use fear as a capital in a social context where other types of capital are scarce. Fil: Liberatori Banegas, Marina Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina

The use of indicator species has become a standard monitoring approach in environmental risk assessment; however, pollutant bioavailability and its geographical distribution as well as species-sensitiveness could be affected by different factors. The present study investigated the potential use of the land snail Cornu aspersum as bioindicator of industrial air pollution by using cytological and biochemical responses and trace element levels in individuals caged in proximity to an industrial setting. Eleven sites were selected based on wind direction and distance. Snails were placed in holed plastic cages, transplanted to each site and maintained for 30 days fed at libitum and under constant humidity. Several oxidative stress responses including catalase (CAT) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activities, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total metallothioneins (MTs) content were determined in snail hepatopancreas while lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) and loss of DNA integrity through micronuclei frequency (MN) were assessed in haemocytes. Trace elements were also analysed in snail whole soft tissues. Multi-model inference used to predict snail’s biological responses in relation to trace elements levels and distance from the industrial setting was able to disentangle the relative contributions of different influencing predictors and could be successfully applied in environmental risk assessment by using land snail as bioindicator species.

The incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in commercial products is increasing rapidly. The consequent release of AgNPs into domestic and industrial wastewater raises environmental concerns due to their anti-microbial properties and toxicity to non-target aquatic organisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of nanArgen™ (Nanotek S.A.), a AgNP-enabled consumer product, in the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis. Two environmentally relevant concentrations of nanArgen™ (1 and 10 μg/L) were tested in vivo for 96 h, and Ag was quantified in mussel soft tissue and natural seawater (NSW). nanArgen™ suspensions were characterized via TEM, SEM, EDS, DLS, and UV-vis optical analysis. Several molecular and biochemical responses were investigated in exposed mussels: lysosomal membrane stability by Neutral Red Retention Time (NRRT) assay; micronucleus (MN) frequency in hemocytes; metallothionein (MT) protein content and gene expression (mt10 and mt20); catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities; malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in digestive glands; and efflux activity of ATP-binding cassette transport proteins (ABC) in gill biopsies. SEM, TEM and DLS analyses confirmed the presence of well-defined AgNPs in nanArgen™ which were roughly spherical with an average particle size of approx. 30 ± 10 nm. DLS analysis revealed the formation of AgNP aggregates in nanArgen™ suspension in NSW (Z-average of 547.80 ± 90.23 nm; PDI of 0.044). A significant concentration-dependent accumulation of Ag was found in mussels' whole soft tissue in agreement with a concentration-dependent decrease in NRRT and an increase of MN frequency in hemocytes and GST activities in digestive glands. A significant increase in MDA levels and MT via both molecular and biochemical tests, were also observed but only at the highest nanArgen™ concentration (10 μg/L). No changes were observed in CAT activities. ABC efflux activities in gill biopsies showed a significant decrease (p 0.05) only at the lowest concentration (1 μg/L). On such basis, nanArgen™ is shown to be able to induce toxicity and Ag accumulation in marine mussels similarly to AgNPs and in short-term exposure conditions at environmentally relevant concentrations. AgNP-enabled products, instead of pristine AgNPs, should be the focus of future ecotoxicity studies in order to address any risks associated to their widespread use, disposal and uncontrolled release into the aquatic environment for non target species.

Summary Termination of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription is a key step that is important for 3′ end formation of functional mRNA, mRNA release, and Pol II recycling. Even so, the underlying termination mechanism is not yet understood. Here, we demonstrate that the conserved and essential termination factor Seb1 is found on Pol II near the end of the RNA exit channel and the Rpb4/7 stalk. Furthermore, the Seb1 interaction surface with Pol II largely overlaps with that of the elongation factor Spt5. Notably, Seb1 co-transcriptional recruitment is dependent on Spt5 dephosphorylation by the conserved PP1 phosphatase Dis2, which also dephosphorylates threonine 4 within the Pol II heptad repeated C-terminal domain. We propose that Dis2 orchestrates the transition from elongation to termination phase during the transcription cycle by mediating elongation to termination factor exchange and dephosphorylation of Pol II C-terminal domain., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Phosphorylated Tyr1 and Thr4 of the Pol II CTD are enriched at gene 3′ ends • PP1 phosphatase Dis2 specifically dephosphorylates Thr4 • Dis2 regulates recruitment of termination factor Seb1 by dephosphorylating Spt5 • Dis2 orchestrates Pol II release and factor exchange at the end of transcription, Timely and efficient transcription termination is essential for release of functional mRNAs as well as for Pol II recycling. Kecman et al. demonstrate that the conserved PP1 phosphatase Dis2 regulates transcription termination in fission yeast by mediating elongation to termination factor exchange and by dephosphorylating Pol II C-terminal domain.

Background Handheld dynamometers (HHD) provide quick and low-cost assessments of muscle strength and their use has been increasing in clinical practice. There is no available data related to the validity of HHD for this measurement. Objective To verify the concurrent validity of scapular protraction measurements using an HHD. Methods Individuals with traumatic anterior glenohumeral instability were allocated in Instability Group (n = 20), healthy swimmers were allocated in Athletes Group (n = 19) and healthy subjects were allocated in Sedentary Group (n = 21). Concurrent validity was verified by the Pearson correlation test between HHD and isokinetic measurements. The agreement between instruments was verified by Bland–Altman plots, for each of the two HHD positions. Results A moderate correlation was observed between seated (r = 0.59) and lying supine HHD (r = 0.54) and isokinetic dynamometer measurements for the all groups. Separated group analysis exhibited a strong correlation between seated HHD and isokinetic dynamometer measurements in the Instability Group (r = 0.80), Sedentary Group (r = 0.79) and Athletes Group (r = 0.76). The Bland–Altman plot showed greater agreement in the seated position than the lying supine position when comparing measurements with the HHD and isokinetic in both the general sample and separated groups. Conclusion The HHD may be considered a valid tool for assessing scapular protraction muscle strength among healthy athletes, non-athletes and subjects with shoulder instability. We recommend to assess subjects in the seated position and to be aware that the HHD tends to overestimate the peak force, compared with the gold-standard isokinetic dynamometer.

The imbalance between angiogenic and angiostatic factors with derangement of the microvasculature are hallmarks of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Raynaud's phenomenon in SSc probably is due to the impaired neuroendothelial control mechanisms between vasoconstriction and vasodilatation. The aim of this study is to evaluate autonomic nervous system function using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and to correlate with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).Twenty-seven SSc patients were enrolled. HRV was measured and markers of global sympathetic and parasympathetic system, respectively standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN) and square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent NN intervals (RMSSD) were evaluated. Serum VEGF levels and nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) were performed.A linear positive correlation was observed between RMSSD and VEGF (p0.01, r=0.55), and RMSSD and disease duration (p0.01, r=0.54). The RMSSD median value was significantly increased (p0.05) with NVC damage progression. The RMSSD median value was significantly (p0.05) higher in SSc patients with digital ulcers (DUs) than in SSc patients without DUs [44 (39.4-60.2) vs 24.6 (23-37.1)].In our study parasympathetic modulation increases in relation to VEGF. When microcirculation is modified with capillaroscopic pattern progression and DUs, autonomic system seems to stimulate vasodilatation trough parasympathetic system. We can conclude that parasympathetic activity increases with digital microvascular damage and promotes VEGF release.

Due to the exponential increase of the commercial air traffic in the last 50 years, and despite continuous efforts invested in making conventional airliners more environmentally friendly, aviation environmental impact is expected to grow in the near future. Such circumstances led to ambitious targets with quantitative environmental objectives in terms of fuel burn, noise and CO2/NOx emissions. The presented work focuses on hybridization of aircraft propulsion systems for the next generation of airliners. A feasibility study and an assessment of different hybrid-electric configurations and technologies conceivable for year 2035 are carried out with a literature-based decision tool; the study is complemented by a robustness analysis. The analysis shows that among the set of possible hybrid-electric propulsive architectures, the Parallel Hybrid distributed propulsion configuration exhibits the highest potential for a 2035 entry into service, especially for regional aircraft.

The present study represents the first attempt to promote Ariadna spider as bioindicator of heavy elements contamination in the central region of the Namib Desert. Various spider populations belonging to undescribed Ariadna species have been described in Central Namib gravel plains and identified as sit-and-wait predators. By spending their life in individual tunnels, Ariadna spiders resemble the behaviour of ground-dwelling spiders that are well known as bioaccumulators of heavy elements. In the present study, 60 individuals of Ariadna spiders were collected from three populations located at various distances from major mining areas of Namib Desert. Contents of fifteen heavy elements were measured in sand samples taken around spider burrows as well as in spider bodies. Several oxidative stress responses as CAT and GST, MDA levels, aside cholinergic function (Cholinesterases), were assayed. Body burden of Ag, Cd, Cu and Zn resulted significantly higher than levels measured in sand, while Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, U and V levels were one or two order of magnitude lower in spider body than in sand samples. All enzymes activities (CAT, GST, ChE) as well as MDA levels were detectable in Ariadna spiders despite lower values than other species. Though we cannot affirm that all sampled spiders belong to the same species, their enzymatic activities reflect their ability to accumulate heavy elements regardless the specific habitat features, confirming so the value of this genus as bioindicator of heavy elements in the Central Namib Desert.

The uptake of Cd and some biomarkers of exposure and effects have been investigated in specimens of land snail Cornu aspersum exposed to vaporized CdCl2 (10 mg/L) for 7 days. The Cd levels quantified in snail's whole bodies confirmed Cd bioavailability trough vaporization and an higher accumulation in the midgut gland compared to the foot. Biological responses investigated showed a reduction of destabilization time of lysosomal membranes (NRRT) in hemocytes and an induction of catalase activities (CAT) in midgut gland. A further evidence of CdCl2 vaporized exposure was given by an increase in MT protein content as well as induction of Cd-MT gene expression, highlighting the central role of the midgut gland in Cd detoxification. These biomarkers can thus be considered as sensitive tools for the assessment of Cd contamination in the air using land snails as bioindicators. No changes in of GST activity and MDA were observed. From the overall results, the land snail, C. aspersum, could be used as good bioindicator of air quality for pollution monitoring purposes having shown clear signs of exposure and effects due Cd exposure by air.

Recent developments on environmental fate models indicate that as nano waste, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) could reach terrestrial ecosystems thus potentially affecting environmental and human health. Plants can be therefore exposed to ENMs but controversial data in terms of fate and toxicity are currently available. Furthermore, there is a current lack of information on complex interactions/transformations to which ENMs undergo in the natural environment as for instance interacting with existing toxic compounds. The aim of the present study was to assess the behavior and biological effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (n-TiO2) (Aeroxide P25, Degussa Evonik) and its interaction with cadmium (CdCl2) in plants using radish seeds (Raphanus sativus L. Parvus) as model species. Radish seeds were exposed to n-TiO2 (1-1000mg/L) and CdCl2 (1-250mg/L) alone and in combination using a seed germination and seedling growth toxicity test OECD 208. Percentage of seed germination, germination index (GI) and root elongation were calculated. Cell morphology and oxidative stress parameters as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase activities (CAT) were measured in radish seeds after 5 days of exposure. Z-Average, PdI and Z-potential of n-TiO2 in Milli-Q water as exposure medium were also determined. DLS analysis showed small aggregates of n-TiO2, negative Z-potential and stable PdI in seed's exposure media. Germination percentage, GI and root length resulted affected by n-TiO2 exposure compared to controls. In particular, n-TiO2 at 1mg/L and 100mg/L did not affect radish seeds germination (100%) while at concentration of 10mg/L, 200mg/L, 500mg/L, and 1000mg/L a slight but not significant decrease of germination % was observed. Similarly root length and GI resulted significantly higher in seeds exposed to 10mg/L and 200mg/L compared to 1mg/L, 100mg/L, 500mg/L, 1000mg/L and control (p < 0.05). On the opposite, CdCl2 significantly abolished germination % and GI compared to control seeds and a concentration dependent decrease on root elongation was observed against controls (p < 0.05). As well, significant decrease of germination %, GI and root elongation was observed in seeds co-exposed to n-TiO2 and CdCl2 at the highest concentrations (1000mg/L n-TiO2 and 250mg/L CdCl2) compared to co-exposed seeds at low concentration (1mg/L n-TiO2 and 1mg/L CdCl2) and controls (p < 0.05). Root elongation significantly increase compared to control at the lowest co-exposure concentration (p < 0.05). Similarly at intermediate concentrations of 10 and 100mg/L in co-exposure conditions, n-TiO2 did not affect CdCl2 toxicity. Concerning antioxidant enzymes, a significant increase of CAT activity in seeds exposed to single high n-TiO2 concentration (1000mg/L) was observed while n-TiO2 (1mg/L), CdCl2 (1 and 250mg/L) and co-exposure resulted significantly decreased compared to controls (p < 0.05). Regarding GST activity, a slight increase in seeds exposed to 1000mg/L n-TiO2 but no significantly was observed, however both n-TiO2 and CdCl2 alone (1 and 250mg/L, respectively) or in combinations caused a significant decrease in GST activity (p < 0.05). Therefore, overall data support the hypothesis that the presence of n-TiO2 do not affect the toxicity of CdCl2 at least at the highest concentration (100 and 250mg/L) in radish seeds. Morphological alterations in nuclei, vacuoles and shape of radish root cells were observed upon single Cd exposure and not abolished in the presence of n-TiO2. Nevertheless, although n-TiO2 seems not to reduce Cd toxicity at high concentration (up to 250mg/L), interactions cannot be excluded based on obtained results.